Normal
by write25
Summary: STORY COMPLETE! Thank you all. One month ago, Clark Kent and Eric Summers were mysteriously switched. Now, its happening again, and Eric is on the loose. Will Clark be able to find him in time? Slight Clana. My first Smallville fic. R&R Mariah
1. Sick

Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville. If i did, i would be the happiest girl in the world.

Set: post Leech

* * *

Clark Kent woke up one Monday morning, his pillow wet with blood and a sharp pain erupting in his arm. Wincing as he tried to sit up, he called out, "Dad! Something's wrong!"  
  
Jonathan and Martha rushed in. "Clark, what's wrong?" Jonathan asked his son as he rounded the corner into his son's room. Seeing Clark's current state, both parents ran to his side. "What happened, son?"  
  
"I—I don't know. I just woke up like this," Clark said, trying to stem the flow of blood coming from his nose.  
  
"Does anything else hurt?"  
  
"Yeah, my arm. Oww..." he grimaced as his mother tried to move his pained limb. "Mom, aren't you supposed to be in Metropolis today?"  
  
"I was just about to leave, but I'm going to call off my meeting. Do you have any idea why this is happening again?" Martha asked worriedly. Meanwhile, Clark, too weak to protest her cancellation, merely groaned in response.  
  
"You haven't gotten struck by lightening again and not said anything, right, son?" Jonathan said in a desperate attempt to lighten the mood. Clark shook his head. "It's been a month since you and Eric got switched. Could it be an after effect?"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Have you been near any meteor rocks lately?" questioned Martha. "You've been fine until today, I don't think that would be it."  
  
"Well," Clark swallowed and bit his lower lip. "There was the second LuthorCorp field trip. We saw the whole plant this time, even 'level three.' Maybe there was something there." He tried to reach over onto the nightstand to pick up his phone, but his arm was too weak and he dropped it back down to his bed. "Mom, can you call Lex and, umm," losing his train of thought, Clark was indeed slowly dozing off. "Can you ask him if there was anything unusual that they were using in the plant?"  
  
"Of course, honey," Martha whispered, kissing her son on the forehead and taking the phone into the hallway. "Hello, this is Martha Kent...hello, Lex. Why I'm fine, how are you? That's good to hear. I'm calling about Clark. He's sick today, and he thinks it might have something to do with the trip his class took to the plant. Oh, I see. Are you sure? Okay. Thank you, Lex. All right, I'll be sure to tell him that. Bye." She walked back into Clark's room. "Lex says there's nothing at the plant that could have caused this."  
  
"Anything else?" Clark murmured as he turned on his side and curled up, cradling his injured arm and trying to stay warm.  
  
"He said that he hopes you feel better soon."  
  
Smiling slightly, Clark sighed, "He's a good friend."  
  
Jonathan opened his mouth to say something, but then stopped at a stern look from Martha. Instead he said, "Listen, Clark, your mother and I should go get started on some farm work, if you need anything, just give us a shout. Okay?"  
  
Clark nodded as he slowly drifted off to sleep. He may not have needed to sleep too much when he had his abilities, but when he didn't, it sure caught up with him. Once or twice he thought about getting up and going to school, but the farthest he got was lifting his head a half inch off the pillow before falling back to sleep.

* * *

"Hey sleepyhead!" a voice called.  
  
"What the...ugh...it's you," Clark muttered cynically, forced to wake from his slumber.  
  
"It's good to see you too, Clark," Chloe quipped, taking a seat on the foot of his bed. "What's going on? You've never been sick before."  
  
"There's a first time for everything, right?" Desperate to go back to sleep, Clark closed his eyes again.  
  
"Wait," Chloe added excitedly. "I brought friends!"  
  
Opening his eyes a tiny crack, Clark could make out a very blurred, very dark figure entering his room. The only part of the form that wasn't black was the very top, an immaculately peach-colored haziness. "Your mom said you weren't feeling well, so I decided to drop by and see how you were doing."  
  
"Hi Lex. Sorry you have to see me like this..." Clark managed, trying to conceal his desire to fall asleep again and be left alone. Great, he thought. The worst I've felt in a month and two of my best friends are here. Now all that's missing is—  
  
"Lana had to finish something up at the Torch and Pete had practice, but they said they'll both be here later," Chloe further said. "But until they get here, you better see this." She stood up and turned on the television, while Lex silently moved in and took her seat. Pretending not to notice, Chloe smiled to herself and found the Metropolis News Network. "Here it is."  
  
Lifting his head, but still partially unable to see, Clark was relieved when Lex reached around his shoulder and helped him sit up. While the sports reporter was rambling on about the Metropolis Sharks' most recent win, Chloe and Lex started telling Clark the background of the story.  
  
"As you probably know, Eric's being held in the mental hospital in Metropolis for observation. You know," Chloe started. "To make sure he doesn't go around trying to kill people."  
  
"But last night, he disappeared from the area where they were holding him," Lex continued. "Broke right through the wall."  
  
"And we're not talking drywall, we're talking cinderblocks!" Exclaimed Chloe. "And now they can't find him. There's a huge search party going on and—"  
  
"I know where he is," Clark interrupted, throwing off his covers and attempting to get up.  
  
Lex forcefully held him down, saying, "Clark, you're sick. You need to rest."  
  
"I'll pick up some coffee at the Talon, all right?" He replied, pulling on a pair of jeans and dashing out the door. When he was out of the line of vision of the other two, he got ready to take off, but, when he found that he had again lost his speed, he instead turned and ran down the stairs and out of the house, headed for the one place that he knew Eric would be.  
  
Chloe looked at Lex confusedly. "That was strange."  
  
"I'll say. Where do you think he's going?"  
  
"I don't know, but I don't think he'll get too far in the state he's in."  
  
"Should we go after him?" Lex wondered.  
  
"Are you kidding? No one's ever been able to catch up with Clark Kent."

* * *

This is my first Smallville fic. Please read and review! This is a four chapter story. Mariah 


	2. Questions

Disclaimer: Do i really have to...

Thanks to all my reviewers. I would personally thank you, but it's 11:00 my time and i'm tired. So...THANK YOU ALL!

* * *

Halfway to his destination, Clark found himself wishing he had indeed bought a coffee, he was so tired. Stopping to rest by the edge of the forest where the switch first occurred to catch his breath, he brushed beads of sweat off his brow. Turning and breaking into a light jog, as opposed to the steady run he had been going at for the first half of the distance, he headed into the forest.  
  
Following the twisting and turning paths, Clark finally made his way to the power containment area where the two had switched back. Grasping both sides of the gate, he prepared to pull it off of its hinges, but found that he couldn't, and instead worked his way up and over the barbed wire fence, his shirt catching on the sharp metal which slashed his skin as well. On the other side of the door, and nursing his lacerated extremities, Clark saw that the door had apparently been welded shut. _That's strange,_ he thought. _I guess Eric has more things figured out than I thought._  
  
Well into the fenced-in spot, Clark could certainly tell that Eric wasn't there. Making a full sweep of the area and getting ready for the painful departure, Clark suddenly noticed a sheet of paper lying beside one of the generators. He reached down to get it and managed to succeed before the intense heat got to him too badly. Shaking his hand to cool it down, he read the hastily scribbled letter.  
  
_Clark-  
  
I figured that this would be the first place you would go after you heard about what's happening. I don't know what is going on. I can't stay here, they're after me.  
  
You knew what to do last time; maybe you can figure it out this time, too. I can't say where I'm going, in case this letter falls into the wrong hands, but I'm hoping that you can figure it out, like you decided to come here.  
  
There's only one place in Smallville where I can be safe from the sharp claws of the authorities. Find me there, before the chance flies away.  
  
Help.  
  
Eric  
_  
Clark shoved the note into his pocket and jumped up onto the fence and made his way to the other side. He felt the wire snag on something, but kept going. Not looking back, he ran all the way back into town and into the Torch, where Lana was working. Dropping down beside her, breathless, Clark attempted to tell her what was happening. "I—Eric—broke out—letter at the electric thing—fly away—got to find him!"  
  
Wide-eyed, Lana turned to face her confused friend. "Clark," she said. "What are you talking about? I know about Eric Summers' breakout, but why does that matter to you?"  
  
"I—I have to talk to him, before the authorities find him. It's complicated."  
  
"Explain. I have time," Lana said, preparing to listen intently.  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I just can't."  
  
"Typical."  
  
"Lana, I would explain. I want to tell you what's going on, but I don't want you to get hurt. That's all."  
  
"Why are you here, then, if you can't tell me what is going on?" Exasperated, Lana stood up and strode across the room to pick up something from the printer. "Aren't you sick? Shouldn't you be at home or something?"  
  
"Yeah, I am," Clark brushed it off as if it didn't matter. In reality, he desperately wanted to be back on the farm, sleeping, maybe with music playing softly in the corner of his room. "But I need to help Eric. See," reaching into his back pocket, Clark searched for the letter. "I know I put it there..."  
  
"Listen, Clark, I don't know what's going on, but I think you should just go home and rest until you can explain at least one part of this crazy story," Lana helped Clark up and walked him to the door. "Just go."  
  
"Lana—"  
  
"Hope you feel better," she added, turning her back on him to finish her work. "I'll try to stop by later and see how you're doing."  
  
Clark stared at the closed door and finally turned away. If Lana couldn't—wouldn't—help, who would? Heading out of the school, he walked back to his house and collapsed on the couch, dead tired. Tossing and turning, he failed to get any decent rest, so he finally stood up and called Lex.  
  
"Come on, pick up..." he muttered into the receiver, frustrated. After it had rung around ten times, Lex came on the line.  
  
"Lex Luthor."  
  
"Hey, Lex, I need to talk to you."  
  
"Clark, what's going on? You just disappeared this afternoon, Chloe and I had no clue where you were."  
  
"I had something that I needed to do, but I need your help." Clark could picture Lex sitting in his office, probably with other, more important people to talk to with other, more important problems. What the hell am I doing?  
  
"Well, what is it?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Clark? You there?"  
  
"Hang on Lex, someone's at the door..." Clark put down the phone and went to open the door.  
  
Two uniformed people, one man and one woman, stood before him. Each bore a Metropolis Police Department badge and a handgun on their belt. "Metropolis PD," the woman said. "Are you Clark Kent?"

* * *

Ooh....a mild cliffhanger...I'll only update after i get five more reviews. so review! thanks. Mariah


	3. Choices

This chapter begins exactly where the last one left off. Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers.

Disclaimer: Walks into bar "I'll have...the USUAL"

Ok, its a terrible disclaimer...really bad.

* * *

"Y—yes..." he stuttered, unsure of anything at the current moment.  
  
"May we come in?" asked the man.  
  
"Uh...sure," Clark said, opening the door fully to allow them inside.  
  
"Listen here, son. We don't want to bother you, but no doubt you've heard about Eric Summers?"  
  
"So? I went to school with him. Why does it matter?"  
  
"While doing a complete sweep of the area where he had earlier reported the change to have occurred, our search team came across this note," the woman produced the note that Clark had read and lost earlier that afternoon. "Do you know anything about where he might be?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure! It's not like I haven't been trying to figure out where he is every waking moment since I read that letter!" All of a sudden, Clark began feeling light-headed and leaned on the arm of the sofa for support. The two officers rushed to his side.  
  
"Are you all right?" one asked. Clark couldn't tell whom, everything was mixed into one swirling mass of color and sound. "Where are your parents?" And then, to the other officer, "We need to get him to a hospital."  
  
"Dad's working...Mom's...supposed to be in Metropolis...I don't know..." Clark, lying limply in the two officers arms', tried to protest, "I don't need a hospital...I'll be fine here."  
  
"Son, you're coming with us."  
  
"No...leave me here..."  
  
But it was too late. The female officer was already working Clark into the back seat of the cruiser while the other one went off to find Jonathan.  
  
"I can't believe I passed out," Clark chastised himself, sitting in his hospital bed.  
  
"You didn't really pass out, Clark," insisted Martha, yawning. "But you can't deny it, you were pushing yourself pretty hard."  
  
"Being normal is harder than I remembered."  
  
"We're just glad you're okay, son," Jonathan added as the door opened, turning to see who it was.  
  
"Lex! What are you doing here? It must be three in the morning!"  
  
"Four, actually. I figured something was wrong when you didn't come back to the phone. What was it you needed to talk about?" Lex asked, trying to avoid Jonathan's piercing, despising stare.  
  
Clark looked at his parents. "Could I have a minute alone with Lex?"  
  
Martha and Jonathan exchanged glances. Finally, getting up, Martha said, "All right. We'll be back in ten minutes." She practically forced her husband to get out of his seat and into the hallway. Clark waited until they were out of sight to talk to Lex, but Lex seize the first word.  
  
"Clark, what were you thinking, running away like that? Chloe and I were really worried."  
  
"Do you remember when Eric went crazy and started throwing people thirty feet across the parking lot—" Clark reminisced on that time, not so long ago. His side had hurt for days after landing on the roof of that car.  
  
"—and threw the police car into his house when the cops came to take him away? Yeah, I remember, who doesn't?"  
  
"Well, that night, we—er, he went back to normal. I figured he'd go back to the same place," _That was close_, he thought. "But when I got there, he'd left a note. I think the note might have had a clue to where he is now."  
  
"Do you remember anything from the note?" Lex asked, but before Clark could answer, he unfolded the same note right in front of him. "See if this sparks your memory."  
  
Shocked, Clark managed to say, "But—how did you get that?"  
  
"Let's just say I have the power to influence people."  
  
"Right. Let's not have my dad figure out about this...I don't think he'd be too happy," Clark reached out to get the note, and Lex complied. After studying it for quite some time, he said, "I think the answer has to be in the last paragraph. That's the only one that's really unnatural-sounding." Clark read the passage out loud, Lex listening for any hints.  
  
"Well, it seems that he's alluding to some type of bird."  
  
"Duh..."  
  
"Your school's teams are called the Crows, right?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Do you think it might have something to do with that?"  
  
"Maybe, but why would he go to the school? He said that it was the only place he was safe, and his dad taught at the school. I just don't think he would have gone there." Slowly but surely, Clark was running out of options. Time was slowly running out.  
  
"Is there anywhere else that matches the rest of the clues?"  
  
"Hang on... sharp claws...flies away..." Clark sat bolt upright. "Lex! I know where he is!" Lex was about to ask where, but Clark was already putting on his pants underneath the hospital gown and throwing on a t-shirt.  
  
"Clark, wait—" but he was already out the door. "Clark, man, you've got to stop doing this," he said as he went out to look for the Kents, already preparing himself for the disapproving he was sure to get from Jonathan.

* * *

Clark arrived at the Talon just as Lana was opening up. "Clark! What are you doing here? I though you went home."  
  
"Have you seen Eric Summers?" he asked, looking back to check if the taxi he had taken had left already. It had.  
  
"No...if I had, wouldn't you think I would have called the police?"  
  
"Lana, you're sure about this, right?" This was his last option. After this, he had nowhere else to turn.  
  
"Right."  
  
"Do you—uhh—do you mind if I head out back, just for a second?"  
  
"Go ahead," Lana was confused; Clark was becoming more and more puzzling every passing minute.  
  
Behind the Talon, Clark searched high and low for any sign of Eric. For five minutes, he wandered around, calling out his old classmate's name. Finally, he was ready to go back home and get ready for a long day at school, when suddenly someone dropped down on the ground in front of him. Eric.  
  
"Took you long enough, Clark," he announced.  
  
Shocked, it took Clark a minute to comprehend what was happening. "I would have gotten here sooner, but I lost the letter and ended up in the hospital and—"  
  
"It doesn't matter now. All that matters is you're here."  
  
"Eric, why did you break out? Your parents said they were going to let you out in a week."  
  
Eric started pacing around the alley nervously. "I'm not sure what happened. I was frustrated, and I kind of lashed out, and before I knew it, the wall shattered. You were the only person who could possibly know what to do."  
  
"I'm sorry, Eric, but I have no idea about what to do."  
  
"What?" By the sound of Eric's voice, Clark could tell he was appalled.  
  
"Well, this time, it didn't take any meteor rocks or electricity...it just...happened. My guess is that it will just go back to normal eventually."  
  
"Eventually? EVENTUALLY? How long are we talking? A week? A month?"  
  
"I don't know, Eric. But my guess is that it will take the same amount of time as before, like a pattern," Clark planned his words carefully, ever reminded of the fact that Eric could kill him at any time. "Now, I'm sure your parents are really worried about you. The best thing for you to do is go back to Metropolis."  
  
"NO! I'm not going back there! You have no idea what they did to me!" a frightened look appeared in Eric's eyes. "I'd rather be on the run than back in that place."  
  
"Well," Clark said. "It's your decision. You can live the life of a fugitive, or you can go back and try to keep your power in check until they let you out," he paused. "even if it does mean being treated like a lab rat for a little while."  
  
Eric stared at Clark intently. "It's your decision," Clark commented, turning around and walking around the front of the building. "Your choice..."

* * *

Will he make the right choice? Tune in tomorrow to find out! Until next time, I'm Mariah, saying 'thanks, to all my reviewers!'

Again...that was weak. But i thought it was funny when i added the closing on at 11:00 PM. Five reviews, and i'll update. Mariah


	4. Secrets

Well, my final chapter. Review much, im leaving for three weeks, and when i get back...i hope to have lots of review! thank you to all of my wonderful reviewers, especially those who reviewed every chapter!

* * *

"Did you hear? Eric turned himself into the officials last night," Chloe bubbled on Friday as she walked with Pete and Clark to the bus. "I wonder what made him choose to do that?"  
  
"Yeah, I wonder..." Clark said, pretending to be perplexed. "Anyways, what are you two doing after school today?"  
  
"Practice," Pete answered.  
  
"Torch."  
  
It's nice to see everything's the same around here, he thought. "I was thinking of finishing up some of the work I've missed and then I'd head over to the Talon for a little while. Either of you care to join me a little later?"  
  
"Err..."  
  
"Well..."  
  
"You know, flying solo doesn't sound too bad," Clark added, stepping up onto the bus.  
  
"Maybe you should take it easy for a little while, man," Pete commented, settling down beside his best friend on the uncomfortable bus seat.  
  
My God...they still treat me like I'm going to break. A guy can't pass out around here without everybody finding out about it. "Don't you think I've gotten enough rest, spending most of this week at home?"  
  
"Maybe, maybe not," Chloe said. "I'll catch up with you, if I've got time."  
  
"All right," Clark agreed, and then recalled, "You know, I think I might just go back to my place. I've got a lot of work I need to finish up."  
  
"If you're sure..."  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure."

* * *

That night, Clark was putting away his troublesome geometry work when he suddenly had the impulse to go the cemetery. Calling out to his parents that he was leaving, he ambled out the door and across the town to the place where he and Lana had first conversed. To his surprise, his often- thought-of maiden was there, sitting beside her parents' grave. "Lana."  
  
She turned around with a start. "Clark! What are you doing here?"  
  
"I don't know. I—I was thinking about my parents, I guess."  
  
"I was just spending some time with mine. Why don't you come over here?" She patted a spot on the ground beside her. Taking his hands out of his pockets, Clark made his way over and slowly sat down on the cold grass. "Mom wants to know if something's wrong."  
  
"No, Mrs. Lang. It's been a rough week, that's all," Clark still felt awkward talking to the darkness of the night. Lana edged up to Clark, getting closer and closer until he could no longer resist the urge to wrap his arms around her. "It's nice to have someone out here with me," she whispered. "Mom and Dad like it when you come around."  
  
"I like them too," Clark said, nodding, making everything up as he went along. He still wasn't sure how to act around Lana and her parents. A small rodent ran through the bushes, startling Lana, giving Clark another opportunity to tighten his grasp around her. "You okay?"  
  
"Yeah. It's different, having you here. Usually I'm alone."  
  
"Good different or bad different?"  
  
"Good different," Lana smiled, suddenly noticing that she was shaking. Yet she was perfectly warm. "Clark, you're shivering."  
  
"I'll—I'll be fine..."  
  
"Are you sure?" She pressed the back of her hand against Clark's forehead. "You're burning up. I've got to get you home." She stood up after Clark released her and motioned for him to join her on her horse, which was waiting not far off, grazing.  
  
"No."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's been happening all week. It'll be over soon," he stood and stared up at the sky. Without warning, his body grew rigid, then collapsed in a heap on the earth. Lana ran up beside him and tried to wake him from this 'Beauty and the Beast'-type phenomenon. But he rose on his own and she found herself staring up into his deep, dark, eyes.  
  
"Clark...what happened?"  
  
"I—I'm not sure," he said, to avoid the accusations that usually followed his secretive answers. Feeling himself growing weak, he murmured, "Can you take your necklace off, just—just until I leave?"  
  
"Why?" Lana replied, reaching behind her neck to unfasten the clasp.  
  
"It's strange...but the meteor rocks...I cant be around them."  
  
Turning to place her necklace in her bag that was resting on her horse, Lana said, "How come nothing happened until just now?"  
  
"I can't explain."  
  
"As usual. Listen, Clark, since you're obviously feeling better, I think you should just leave."  
  
"Lana—"  
  
"Just go! Maybe this friendship was never meant to be. Secrets only keep people apart."  
  
Not wanting to protest anymore, Clark unwillingly turned around and headed back to the farm. The last thing he saw before he went the other way was Lana putting her necklace back on. "I wouldn't want anything to happen to you," he whispered. "Not now...not ever."

* * *

There you go. Hope it was satisfactory. Review a lot...! Thanks so much, to everyone. Mariah


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